LENIN
COLLECTED WORKS

...the oppressed classes in each country — such is the slogan of socialist workers in their struggle for the immediate establishment of peace. Precisely because the present war is very deeply rooted in the totality of relationships of the imperialist epoch (competition for world domination, financial capital, monopolies, partition of the world, etc.), therefore benevolent phrases about lasting peace, about democratic peace, and the like, about peace which supposedly is possible under the present governments, with power remaining in the hands of the ruling bourgeois class — such phrases deceive the masses, concealing from them the actual, real foundations of imperialist policy, instilling false confidence in the bourgeoisie, and transforming themselves into reformism*.

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SKETCHES FOR A SPEECH AT A SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON THE QUESTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIALIST BUREAU

[En deux mots je repondrai a Martoff. II m'accuse de tirer sur le dos de la majorite de Zimmerwald, quand je dis qu'elle voulait se concilier avec Vandervelde. Mais la majorite de Zimmervald ne devait pas dire et n'avait...]**

En deux mots je repondrai a Martoff. En me reprochant ma critique de la majorite de Zimmervald, il ne repond pas a ce que j'ai deja indique une fois: que dans le bulletin — non pas N 2 comme Grimm a dit, mais dans le N 1 — Ton a dit que notre I. S. K. va se demettre (sich auflosen) si le Bureau ancien remplit son devoir. On n'a pas vote да a Zimmerwald.

Je veux repondre surtout a Modigliani. II veut etre pratique. II n'est point du tout pratique. II...**

TRANSLATION

[In a word I will reply to Martov⁴. He accuses me of stabbing the Zimmerwald majority in the back when I say that it wanted to reconcile itself with Vandervelde⁵. But the Zimmerwald majority ought not to have said and did not...]**

In a word I will reply to Martov. In reproaching me for my criticism of the Zimmerwald majority, he does not answer what I have already once pointed out: that in the bulletin — not in the second issue as Grimm said, but in the first — it was stated that our I.S.K. will resign its powers (declare itself dissolved) if the former Bureau fulfills its duty. This was not voted on at Zimmerwald⁶.

I wish chiefly to reply to Modigliani⁷. He wants to be practical. He is not practical at all. He...*

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1 The Kienthal, or Second International Socialist, Conference took place in the locality of Kienthal (Switzerland) April 24-30, 1916. The following questions were discussed: 1) the struggle for ending the war, 2) the attitude of the proletariat to questions of peace, 3) agitation and propaganda, 4) parliamentary activity, 5) mass struggle, 6) convocation of the International Socialist Bureau.

The Conference adopted a Manifesto—an appeal "To the Ruined and Slaughtered Peoples" and resolutions with a critique of pacifism and the International Socialist Bureau.

2 Pierre Brizon—French socialist, publicist. In 1910-1919—member of the Chamber of Deputies. During the world imperialist war he held centrist-pacifist positions. Was one of the leaders of the French right-wing Zimmerwald supporters.

3 The published draft of theses was introduced by the chairman of the Kienthal Conference R. Grimm. After discussion and correction they were adopted by Conference participants as a resolution and on July 10, 1916 published in No. 5 of "Bulletin Internationale Sozialistische Kommission zu Bern" ("Bulletin of the International Socialist Commission in Bern").

4 L. Martov (Yu. O. Tsederbaum)—one of the leaders of Menshevism. During the period of the world imperialist war he held a centrist position.

5 Émile Vandervelde—leader of the Workers' Party of Belgium, chairman of the International Socialist Bureau of the Second International, held extremely opportunistic positions. During the world imperialist war—a social-chauvinist.

6 In No. 1 of "Bulletin Internationale Sozialistische Kommission zu Bern" of September 21, 1915 there were published the Manifesto of the International Socialist Conference in Zimmerwald (Switzerland) and the official report of the Conference. The report stated: "This Secretariat in no way ought to replace the International Bureau which exists at present, but ought to be dissolved as soon as the latter is able to become fully consonant with its duty." In the copy kept in the Central Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism attached to the Central Committee of the CPSU, V. I. Lenin underlined this passage and wrote in the margin: "Kein Beschluss daruber" ("there was no decision on this").

See also V. I. Lenin. Complete Collected Works, vol. 54, pp. 376-377.

The International Socialist Commission (I.S.K.) in Bern—the executive organ of the Zimmerwald Union, established at the Zimmerwald Conference of September 5-8, 1915. The Commission included the centrists: R. Grimm, O. Morgari, Ch. Naine and, as translator, A. Balabanova.

"Bulletin of the International Socialist Commission in Bern" ("Bulletin Internationale Sozialistische Kommission zu Bern")—organ of the Zimmerwald Union. The "Bulletin" appeared from September 1915 to January 1917 in English, French, and German. A total of 6 issues were published.

7 Vittorio Emanuele Modigliani—one of the oldest members of the Italian Socialist Party, reformist, by profession a lawyer. During the years of the world imperialist war—a centrist. Participant in the Zimmerwald and Kienthal Conferences, spoke against the Zimmerwald Left.

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LETTER TO I. F. ARMAND*

[June 30, 1916]

Dear friend! I have just made inquiries at the German Consulate here. The appropriate official was not at home. For now I have found the exact address in Munich: "Stellvertretendes Generalkommando in München"**. Then, they say, one must address oneself here to Reichsdeutsches Generalkonsulat in Zurich. Zurich. Kaspar Escherhaus***.

I advise you to write here (not from Bern, but from Hertenstein, for example, or from some other place) a registered letter and enclose a postage-paid reply envelope, and in the letter ask whether one should not apply to Munich for permission to travel through Germany to Copenhagen and back in 2-3 months. (Reasons: (1) heart disease; (2) an émigré woman, proper Russian documents are lacking; (3) purpose—a meeting with children). I think one can write in French (to Zurich) and from Bern as well. They will answer. Salutations amicales!**** Yours, Lenin

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LETTER TO I. F. ARMAND

July 2, 1916

Dear friend! You apparently are very depressed and nervous on account of the failure. But you must not lose heart. The unpleasantness is in the...

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* On the postcard V. I. Lenin wrote: "Mme Armand. 23. Drosselweg. 23. Berne".

** — "Office of the Deputy General Command in Munich".

*** — General Consulate of the German Empire in Zurich. Zurich. Caspar Escherhaus.

**** — Friendly greetings!